Little Gems is a book of short stories that I have written over the last two years. The inspiration to publish this collection came from my involvement with a New Zealand writing organization for aspiring writers who write serials of all genres, each writer posting a chapter. Easier said than done. I was the first writer to complete an author only serial and the first to introduce the first 1000 word chapter serial. The stories, written for all ages, cover several genres, and two are written in Victorian style. These two stories were the hardest to write because both involved a lot of research. The result was rewarding none-the-less. The title for the book was suggested by a friend who called the collection a bag of little gems. The name stuck. The last story is an Irish fairy tale written by my late wife, Mrellan A, Harahan. Her work is a draft, but I have left it unedited as a tribute to her memory. I hope you enjoy this book. Thank you.

Ray Stone is an accomplished author with a variety of published works to his name. Born just outside London in 1946, he grew up in post war Britain during a period of depression and ration books, bombed out housing and BBC radio. At school he won a writing competition at the age of eleven and later in his teens went on to widen his interest in the arts.

At the age of eighteen he began writing poetry and lyrics whilst studying at college. Two years later Ray worked in theatre as a technician with many orchestras’ and artists including the London Philharmonic, London Symphony, Mantovani, The original Doyle Carte Opera Company, Harlequin Ballet, Joan Baez, Jimmy Hendrix, Oscar Peterson and worked on local shows such as My Fair Lady, Camelot and West Side Story.

His poetry won him first place in 1998 in an international internet poetry competition with ‘Angry Silence.’ Moving to Colchester in the same year he wrote a full page article about the historical significance of the locale and was published with a by-line in the local press. Whilst writing his first novel Ray returned to writing lyrics and teamed up with a local composer. Together they produced and recorded five blues numbers. A book of poetry and lyrics, Life over a cup of Tea, was published in 2011. Ray’s first novel, ‘THE TROJAN TOWERS,’ was published in 2005. A second political thriller, the first of the Enda Osin Mysteries, ‘ISIA’S SECRET,’ was published in September 2013. Edited by Story Mint CEO, Suraya Dewing, he became an early member and helped form the serial section of the Story Mint and has been involved in serials and other admin positions ever since. The next in the Enda Osin series, ‘TWISTED WIRE,‘ was published in September 2014. In 2015 Ray published a follow on to The Trojan Towers, a chase thriller entitled 'CRATE OF LIES.' 'Little Gems' a collection of short stories, was published recently.

Ray Stone has lived around London’s colourful EastEnd and the café sets of Westminster and Kensington. Rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous-and infamous he has acquired a unique insight into the lives of criminal and upper classes that give his works a believable realism. Ray moved to the USA in 2003. He has since retired from a landscape design business and now lives in Cyprus, continuing to write every day. LITTLE GEMS, his collection of short stories, was published in April 2019. In july came his book of Poetry, ANGRY SILENCE that displays his wide interest in humor, sadness, love, and musical lyrics. His next thriller novel, THE BILDERBERG DIARY, is the third in the Enda Osin Mystery series and this will be published 2021.

Author Bio For Mrellan Harahan:

Mrellan Harahan was my wife who sadly passed away in 2018. She was a talanted lady who loved Irish folklore and the last story in this book is her last story. It is a second draft but I left it as is. I do not beleive that an artist's work if unfinished, should be completed by another. I am sure readers will enjoy this, one of Mrellan's beautiful fairy stories. Mrellan was an American whose roots went back to the Conamara. She was a great Irish historian who feircly supported the Irish struggles. R.I.P. Mrellan Harahan

References:

The upcoming short story that will be posted next month is a period piece that depicts the heartbreaking discovery a young man makes about his parents. The opening is intentially dark and morbid and tells how the main character, a boy at the time, is taken to his father's public hanging. Nothing is what it seems as the story unfolds to reveal a terrible truth and ends sadly resolved with a letter. The location of this story is near where I lived as a young man and is still there - so are the sad and terrible memories of all those who had anything to do with the place. Coming next month - The Lepers Secret.

Little Gems is a book of short stories that I have written over the last two years. The inspiration to publish this collection came from my involvement with a New Zealand writing organization for aspiring writers who write serials of all genres, each writer posting a chapter. Easier said than done. I was the first writer to complete an author only serial and the first to introduce the first 1000 word chapter serial. The stories, written for all ages, cover several genres, and two are written in Victorian style. These two stories were the hardest to write because both involved a lot of research. The result was rewarding none-the-less. The title for the book was suggested by a friend who called the collection a bag of little gems. The name stuck. The last story is an Irish fairy tale written by my late wife, Mrellan A, Harahan. Her work is a draft, but I have left it unedited as a tribute to her memory. I hope you enjoy this book. Thank you.

Ray Stone is an accomplished author with a variety of published works to his name. Born just outside London in 1946, he grew up in post war Britain during a period of depression and ration books, bombed out housing and BBC radio. At school he won a writing competition at the age of eleven and later in his teens went on to widen his interest in the arts.

At the age of eighteen he began writing poetry and lyrics whilst studying at college. Two years later Ray worked in theatre as a technician with many orchestras’ and artists including the London Philharmonic, London Symphony, Mantovani, The original Doyle Carte Opera Company, Harlequin Ballet, Joan Baez, Jimmy Hendrix, Oscar Peterson and worked on local shows such as My Fair Lady, Camelot and West Side Story.

His poetry won him first place in 1998 in an international internet poetry competition with ‘Angry Silence.’ Moving to Colchester in the same year he wrote a full page article about the historical significance of the locale and was published with a by-line in the local press. Whilst writing his first novel Ray returned to writing lyrics and teamed up with a local composer. Together they produced and recorded five blues numbers. A book of poetry and lyrics, Life over a cup of Tea, was published in 2011. Ray’s first novel, ‘THE TROJAN TOWERS,’ was published in 2005. A second political thriller, the first of the Enda Osin Mysteries, ‘ISIA’S SECRET,’ was published in September 2013. Edited by Story Mint CEO, Suraya Dewing, he became an early member and helped form the serial section of the Story Mint and has been involved in serials and other admin positions ever since. The next in the Enda Osin series, ‘TWISTED WIRE,‘ was published in September 2014. In 2015 Ray published a follow on to The Trojan Towers, a chase thriller entitled 'CRATE OF LIES.' 'Little Gems' a collection of short stories, was published recently.

Ray Stone has lived around London’s colourful EastEnd and the café sets of Westminster and Kensington. Rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous-and infamous he has acquired a unique insight into the lives of criminal and upper classes that give his works a believable realism. Ray moved to the USA in 2003. He has since retired from a landscape design business and now lives in Cyprus, continuing to write every day. LITTLE GEMS, his collection of short stories, was published in April 2019. In july came his book of Poetry, ANGRY SILENCE that displays his wide interest in humor, sadness, love, and musical lyrics. His next thriller novel, THE BILDERBERG DIARY, is the third in the Enda Osin Mystery series and this will be published 2021.

Author Bio For Mrellan Harahan:

Mrellan Harahan was my wife who sadly passed away in 2018. She was a talanted lady who loved Irish folklore and the last story in this book is her last story. It is a second draft but I left it as is. I do not beleive that an artist's work if unfinished, should be completed by another. I am sure readers will enjoy this, one of Mrellan's beautiful fairy stories. Mrellan was an American whose roots went back to the Conamara. She was a great Irish historian who feircly supported the Irish struggles. R.I.P. Mrellan Harahan

References:

The upcoming short story that will be posted next month is a period piece that depicts the heartbreaking discovery a young man makes about his parents. The opening is intentially dark and morbid and tells how the main character, a boy at the time, is taken to his father's public hanging. Nothing is what it seems as the story unfolds to reveal a terrible truth and ends sadly resolved with a letter. The location of this story is near where I lived as a young man and is still there - so are the sad and terrible memories of all those who had anything to do with the place. Coming next month - The Lepers Secret.